The weekly wrap

Tuesday, 28 August

A digger operator who was sent a string of abusive text messages and threatened with assault by his former boss has been awarded more than $9000 in compensation. Mark Selwyn complained to the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) that he was unfairly dismissed via text message by Jason Edwards, the owner and director of Auckland firm Edwards Drainage Limited, in October last year. Mr Selwyn says Mr Edwards sent him four abusive text messages after he directed a truck to the wrong place to drop off hard-fill at a work site. Mr Edwards called his worker "useless," an "asshole" and a "dumass" before saying: "f*** off then idiot".